Difference between Henna and Mehndi

People can sometimes get confused over the usage of words ‘mehndi’ and ‘henna’ as they don’t really know the exact meaning of these terms. They are actually used for a powdered product, which helps in the colouring of hands, nails and other body parts.

The only difference between mehndi and henna is that these are two different terminologies used for the same product. The purpose is the same and people mainly use it to colour their hair, when it turns grey.

When you look into more details, you will find out that the word mehndi is mostly used in countries like India and Pakistan whereas henna is used in Middle East and Africa. Other than being a name of a product, it is also a custom in India and Pakistan. It is a part of the wedding ceremony, where the bride and groom sit together and their hands are coloured with mehndi.

Instructions

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    Henna

    Henna is a powdered material, which is used to colour hair, hands, nails and other body parts. Some people use it to colour their animals like goats and chickens as well. For example, the Muslims celebrate Eid-ul-Adha every year and sacrifice animals all over the country. There is a tradition of decorating the bodies of those animals and some people dye them with henna.

    Interestingly, henna was used to cure patients in the past. However, its use has been restricted to dying now. The word henna has actually been derived from the Arabic word ‘hinna’ and this term is used in the entire Middle East and African countries. Moreover, it is used for tattooing purposes as well. Muslims see the permanent tattoos as a sin, so they use henna, which fades out in a couple of weeks.

    - Image Courtesy:  ajewelrystyle.com

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    Mehndi

    There is no difference between henna and mehndi, as both are used to represent the same product. However, the latter term is used in Asian countries like India and Pakistan. Moreover, it is also known to be a tradition in a Hindu and Muslim wedding.

    - Image Courtesy: nikadon.com

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